I Wanted to Get Control
Yavapai County Sheriff Steve Waugh tells motorists that may be concerned with the authenticity of a police officer asking them to pull over at night in a deserted area that they should continue on to a more public, well lighted place. Sgt. Jeff Newnum of the same police department says that he would give his wife the same advice. There have been several well-publicized incidences in Arizona of people being attacked by criminals impersonating an officer making a traffic stop.
But when Dibor Roberts attempted to follow this advice, officer Newnum ran her car off the road, broke the window of her car with his nightstick, and grabbed the cell phone she was using to call 911. Now, it is, incredibly, Ms. Roberts who is on trial for her actions. All because she was driving 15 miles an hour over the limit on a deserted rural road. The post title comes from the Sgt Newnum's explanation in court of his aggressive tactics.
Erik The Red:
Well, one thing us tofu-heads out in Cali do well is curb this kind of abuse by the police. Now if we can just do that with the rest of the gub'mint out here...
May 15, 2008, 10:41 pmRandy in Arizona:
Wonder what would have happened if Sgt. Numnutz had been pepper sprayed or Tasered for his unwarranted aggression?
May 16, 2008, 9:49 amBob Robertson:
Sadly, because he's one of the anointed, a "officer of the law", anything and everything he does is considered legal and correct first.
Too bad he didn't plant a zip-lock of pot in her car after breaking in the window. Then the case would have been open and shut in his favor.
Of course, police would never, ever, ever do something like that.
May 16, 2008, 12:33 pmlinearthinker:
Verdict: Guilty
Sentence: Six months unsupervised probation
Judge gave lightest sentence the defense attorney had ever heard of for comparable charges, and reduced the resisting arrest charge to a class 1 misdemeanor. Good judge, I'd say.
Questions linger: Has Newnum ever taken steroids? How fast was Roberts driving as she continued on instead of stopping. Why couldn't Newnum have called for intercept assistance and simply followed her.
Erik the Red: Best stow your attitude in the trunk before driving through some CA counties; Kern, San Bernardino, Fresno, Siskiyou come to mind.
May 17, 2008, 2:35 am